


hyphen between you and me

by violetmoreviolent



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Deathstroke the Terminator (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Engagement, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Relationship Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:08:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28062927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetmoreviolent/pseuds/violetmoreviolent
Summary: "You know Richard Wilson has a nice ring to it."
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson
Comments: 30
Kudos: 233





	hyphen between you and me

"You know Richard Wilson has a nice ring to it."

Dick blinked at Slade twice before his mouth popped open.

"Is - where are you going with that?"

"I'm just saying that Slade Grayson is... Kind of awful. Too many 'a' and 's' sounds."

"What. Slade. What?"

"I thought you'd like subtlety," Slade mused, "Ah, well."

Slade pulled a velvet box from his bedside drawer. He got up from the bed, walked around, and got on one knee in front of Dick.

"Slade what are you...?"

"Richard Grayson, will you marry me?"

Dick blinked rapidly, mouth dropped.

Dazed he picked up the box, "Dick Wilson is kind of..."

Slade blinked, "... I'm a bit of a traditionalist but I suppose 'Richard 'Dick' Grayson-Wilson is... A choice."

Dick went to put on the ring but Slade grabbed his hand and slipped it on for him, watching Dick's stunned blank face.

He hoped it was good. Then Dick laid back down, staring at his hand. Slade felt a rumble of possessive satisfaction at his bird wearing his ring.

As soon as he opened his eyes Dick was speaking.

"I can't marry a mercenary."

"What about an ex-mercenary? And did you sleep at all?"

"No, we needed to talk... Wait ex?

"I've been a mercenary for decades," Slade says, "While there is still an undeniable thrill it's... Well, anything done enough becomes a rut."

"Did... Is  _ killing  _ people for money a rut?" Dick's face turned red with self-righteous fury and consternation.

Slade sighed, "Calm yourself. I'm just thinking practical. I have other endeavors that are promising to be more fruitful and fulfilling than the grind of my profession, which has not changed since I rose to the top spot decades ago."

"Grind? Decades?" Dick scoffed, "Are you trying to give me another reason marrying you is a bad idea, old man?"

"Go over that sentence again, Dick."

Dick opened his mouth to retort before it finally hit him, "Wait... More fruitful endeavors? What do you..."

Slade glanced meaningfully down to the ring. Dick's mouth dropped.

"Little bird," Slade said, "I adored having a family."

Dick made a strangled noise, "Family?"

Slade raised a brow.

"Okay so... Let me get this straight... You are going to 'retire' to marry me and start a family?"

"How do you feel about dogs first? Maybe a good hunting dog like a Spaniel. I hope hunting legally is still on the table for me."

Dick blinked, "I- I need some sleep."

Two hours later Dick strolled into the living room of the safehouse where Slade was sitting, reading a book. His hair was mussed and Slade’s shirt hung off one shoulder.

"We haven't even really been dating."

"Are we not exclusive?" Slade practically growled.

"No, Slade. I have  _ not  _ slept or dated anyone while we've had our... Arrangement. But that doesn't mean we're  _ dating." _

"Have we not been physically and emotionally intimate?"

Dick spluttered and then cried, "But! You haven't even bought me  _ dinner _ !"

Slade blinked.

Dick blinked.

Slowly a grin crept onto Slade's face, "I see. Well, let's change that."

They flew first class to Japan for  _ sushi.  _ Slade ordered the blowfish sashimi, something he looked forward to making with his own two hands. He will have the time to learn, he was sure in-between taking care of Dick, and before they have kids.

Dick with his aversion to raw fish ordered eel.

"See the thing about dating," Dick said while chewing on a piece of eel, "Is that you get these unrealistic expectations. Like there's no way you can keep this up."

"Oh pretty bird," Slade told him, "This barely scratches the surface of my wealth."

Dick frowned, "Your blood money."

Slade rolled his eyes, "Not all of it."

Dick tilted his head.

"I have an amazing portfolio," Slade answered.

"You invest?"

Slade took a sip of his sake, "Look at that. You were right about this dating thing. We are learning  _ so  _ much about each other."

Dick smiled hesitantly, "I guess you're right. So... Let's talk business."

Slade raised a brow and Dick laughed.

"You stocks! Tell me your investing secrets."

"Wayne Enterprise pays quite the dividends to its investors."

Dick's jaw dropped, "Slade... Do you use me for insider trading?"

Slade rolled his eyes, "Hardly. I have my own informants for the going ons of Wayne Enterprise."

" _ Slade." _

"LexCorp as well."

" _ Slade!  _ You totally used me for insider trading."

Slade clicked his tongue, "You were merely helpful to know when an upcoming scandal would happen to lower stock value. Buy low, sell high as they say. Maybe Bruce could teach me a thing or two about business. Some father, son-in-law bonding."

Dick's mouth dropped, "Oh my God. Bruce is going to kill me."

"He won't."

"He's going to disown  _ me. _ "

"It happens."

Dick blinked, "Oh my God. Slade I'm going to have to tell Bruce. I'm going to have to tell my  _ siblings. _ "

"My shares in WE that they think I'm blackmailing you."

Dick shot him a glare.

* * *

Deadshot tapped his glass. He wanted to smoke but when he had tried to light his cigar the bartender had frowned at him. 

She was pretty and it was cold outside. 

And he liked this bar.

He took a sip. This was apparently some weird meeting for drinks which normally he'd be up for, except he was meeting  _ Deathstroke. _

Speak of the devil. Deathstroke walked in, mask off.

"Slade," Floyd said coolly.

"Floyd, good to see you," Deathstroke said genially as if they were old pals.

Floyd swallowed. He wasn't nervous, even if Deathstroke killed him it wasn't a huge deal. No, it was just something about Deathstroke that made people’s insides curdle with anxiety. It was the feeling of being in the presence of a predator.

"So, you wanted to meet," Floyd broached.

"Whisky, on the rocks," Deathstroke ordered, "Oh, yes. I wanted to congratulate you."

Floyd raised a brow, "Congratulate?"

That put him on edge. That was exactly the kind of smarmy quip egotistical masks just like Deathstroke said before trying to fuck you over.

"Yes," Deathstroke said, "After all you are the number one mercenary."

Floyd blinked. He processed what Deathstroke said.

Then he started getting up.  _ Shit _ , did some asshole compare the two and piss off Deathstroke? If Floyd lived he'd find them and shoot them in the dick. Or whatever. He was equal opportunistic.

"Calm yourself," Deathstroke said in such a steady tone that Floyd found himself stilling, "I'm retiring."

"I - what?"

Deathstroke took a sip of his drink.

"Why are you telling me this?" Floyd asked.

"As a parting gift, I wanted to offer some of my resources that I won't be needing."

Floyd narrowed his eyes, "What? For sale? Pro bono? Yeah right."

"Oh, I'm not such a selfless man," Deathstroke said, "No. In exchange, you stay out of Blüdhaven."

"... Why? Oh shit, no way," Floyd sat down and took a hefty swig.

Deathstroke’s sometimes friendly preoccupation with Nightwing wasn’t exactly a secret. Deadshot had tussled with the boy a couple of times when the man had still been a runt of a boy.

"And spread the word," Deathstroke added, "Contracts in Blüdhaven are no longer welcomed. And while  _ I  _ will not be fulfilling contracts or sticking my nose in second rate dark web hitmen, any  _ professionals  _ should keep their nose out or lose it."

Floyd paled and nodded, getting the feeling losing a nose wouldn't be the only loss.

"Cheers," Deathstroke said, raising his glass, "And congratulations."

"Yeah," Floyd mumbled, clinking his glass against Deathstroke’s, "Cheers."

* * *

"What's wrong," Bruce said.

Dick looked up and around before realizing, "Oh! You're talking to me."

"Yes, I'm talking to you," Bruce's face softened, "What's wrong? You have that look like you're hiding something."

Dick sighed, "Well... I guess now's as good a time as ever. I, uh, have an announcement."

His whole family blinked up at him. Jason with an eye roll. Tim looked a bit worried. Cass watched him intently. Damian's interest was piqued with curiosity. Bruce stared at him, similar to Cass but with more intensity and lacking his sister's gentle if piercing eyes.

"Well, uh, I'm getting married?"

Five pairs of owlish eyes blinked up at him. Jason dropped his fork. Tim's jaw dropped. Cass tilted her head, reading his body language. Damian's lip was curled back into a surprised sneer.

Bruce was frozen, then his eyes narrowed, "You sound  _ unsure  _ about that, Dick."

"Well you see it's not that I'm unsure about getting married, for the most part, it's uh..."

"It's who you're getting married to." Bruce finished for him, “You’re worried about our reactions.”

"Yeah..."

Jason recovered, rolling his eyes, "Whatever it can't be worse than  _ Talia _ ."

Dick smiled sadly as Damian turned his snarl onto Jason. Jason only did this to take the heat off of Dick, even at the expense of Damian and Bruce's ire.

“Dick. You have a big heart. I’m sure whoever you pick for your life partner is someone we can accept,” Bruce said, pointedly ignoring Jason.

"I was unaware you were dating someone, Richard,” Damian said, following Bruce’s lead on ignoring Jason.

Dick felt both touched and nauseous.

Tim blinked, "Oh my God it's worse. Dick,  _ how can it be worse than Talia? _ "

Dick laughed, a little hysterically, "Well. Uh. Hm. Haha, you see funny story."

"Dick."

"So... You see... Well..." Dick puffed his cheeks, face turning red, “Well...”

“My God Grayson! Spit it out!” 

“ _ How can it be worse?”  _ Tim moaned.

Dick took a deep breath, “Soooo have you heard about Deadshot becoming the number one mercenary?”

“What does that have to do with this?” Damian demanded.

“Oh my God,” Tim exclaimed.

“What? Is it Deadshot?” Jason laughed, “What did he bring you Dickstrokes’ head on a pike?”

Dick frowned and crossed his arms, "Please don't  _ ever  _ call Slade  _ Dickstroke. _ "

“Dick  _ please tell me I’m wrong!”  _ Tim begged.

Dick cleared his throat, “Well. Deathstroke is officially retiring! Me and  _ Slade  _ are getting married.”

“Good joke!” Jason laughed until he realized no one else was, “Shit your serious aren’t you?!”

Dick reached into his pocket and pulled out a metal band. He slipped it onto his ring finger.

"We haven't picked a date yet, but I'd really like it if I could have my family there."

Damian stared at him stunned. Tim looked at Bruce who made eye contact then looked at Jason who's brow was furrowed. While Jason and Bruce made eye contact, Tim and Cass looked at one another.

Bruce and Tim and Jason and Cass all lunged at once.

Dick didn’t bother defending himself. He just sighed as he was dragged to the cave.

“I didn’t even finish my pork chop,” he bemoaned.

“Tt,” he heard Damian click his tongue.

Lifting his head Dick saw that Damian was grabbing his plate for him as he followed after.

“You’re my favorite!” Dick yelled as he was spirited away.

* * *

Slade looked up as his fiance entered their apartment.

"You were gone longer than expected," Slade stated, "Any longer and I would have had to file a missing persons report."

Dick's brow shot up to his hairline, "You would never."

Slade chuckled, "No. I suppose I would have had to storm the castle. Rescue the princess from his ivory tower."

Dick sighed, "Don't call me princess. Like at least use the old ‘bird in a gilded cage’. It's  _ thematic. _ "

Slade opened his arms and Dick melted into him and the couch.

"I take that it didn't go over well?"

Dick groaned, "I  _ guess  _ it could have been worse."

Slade hummed, running his fingers through Dick's dark hair as Dick curled further into him.

"I guess," Dick grumbled, "At least I got my ring back. They kept trying to scan it. Had to stop B from breaking it to look for a mind-control device."

Slade chuckled and felt Dick melt into him at the vibrations.

Dick sighed, "You better make this marriage thing worth my while Mr. Slade Grayson."

"Breakfast every morning Mr. Dick Wilson."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

**Author's Note:**

> i changed my username to violetmoreviolent. just feeling it you know.


End file.
